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Date: 12/26/2023
CHICOPEE — With the end of 2023 rapidly approaching, Reminder Publishing took a look back at some of the major storylines that helped shape Chicopee over the past year.
What do you feel made the year memorable for the city of Chicopee? Let us know by sending a letter to the editor to cmaza@thereminder.com.
Vieau secures another term
Admitting the results were closer than he expected, Mayor John Vieau won another term in the 2023 election, besting Ward 3 City Councilor Delmarina Lopez.
Vieau earned 57.79% of the vote compared to Lopez’s 42.21%. Voter turnout was 21.56%.
Lopez challenged Vieau’s record on public safety and education, pushing a narrative that schools are being defunded and crime is on the rise. She also pointed to traffic safety as a major issue. In 2023, five fatal crashes have occurred in Chicopee, including one involving a pedestrian. In 2022, there were 12 fatal injury crashes, five of those fatalities being pedestrians.
Vieau countered that schools have been funded at their highest levels ever, added 94 new positions and had $11 million it the department’s rollover account. Former interim Superintendent Alvin Morton told the School Committee in June that the fiscal year 2024 foundation budget funded $17,122 per student. In FY23, this number was $15,675 and in FY22, $14,280. In total, the foundation budget was $123 million and represented a $9.7 million increase over the prior fiscal year; the city’s contribution increased by $1.7 million.
On the public safety side, Vieau pointed to traffic upgrades, including enhancements at certain crosswalks, narrowing the crossing distance by putting in refuge islands and rectangular rapid flashing beacons. He also said the Police Department had increased traffic enforcement, including more than 6,000 citations in 2022.
There were also changes in other aspects of government.
Veteran ward City Councilor Joel McAuliffe was not successful for the open at-large council seat, created by the James Tillotson’s decision not to seek reelection, which went to former School Committee member Tim Wagner. Tillotson passed away before the end of his term. His lengthy battle with health issues was among the reasons he opted not to run again.
In the Ward 1 council race Abigail Arriaga won over James Tanhauser Jr., a former member of the School Committee. Former Councilor Lucjan Galecki was narrowly defeated by Susan Goff for the Ward 3 seat. Running unopposed in Ward 6 was Samuel Shumsky. Ward 9 Councilor Mary-Elizabeth Piniak-Costello defeated challenger John Paquette Jr.
There were no races for the School Committee with new members such as Deanna Rousseau being elected along said veteran members.
There was one non-binding ballot question that asked voters to change the term of office for mayor from two years to four. Fifty-nine percent were in favor while 40% opposed it.
Ware becomes new superintendent of schools
Dr. Marcus Ware took over as the head of Chicopee Public Schools to start the 2023-24 school year, filling a full-time leadership void created by the departure of Lynn Clark, who is currently facing federal charges for making false statements to the FBI.
Ware, a Springfield native and former executive director of strategic initiatives for Windham Public Schools in Connecticut, received the necessary eight-vote majority at the School Committee’s Feb. 6 meeting to beat out two other finalists — interim Superintendent Alvin Morton and Lee-Tyringham Union 29 School District Superintendent Michael Richard.
Chicopee began its search process in August 2022 with the announcement of the Superintendent Search Committee. The committee announced Ware, Morton and Richard as its final candidates on Jan. 11. Ware and Morton each received passionate support from School Committee members, which led to several postponements and gridlocked votes.
After going to school for meteorology, ware eventually switched to teaching and started his career in the private school world, both at the Eagle Hill School in Hardwick and the Williston Northampton School in Easthampton. After teaching there for several years, Ware moved up the ranks and had the opportunity to start at Springfield Commonwealth Academy in Springfield as the head of school for six years.
He then went to Windham, Connecticut, and served in administration as assistant principal and principal before becoming director of strategic initiatives. In total, Ware has almost 20 years of experience in education.
Morton, who was named acting superintendent in the wake of Clark’s arrest on April 22, 2022, and signed a one-year contract on June 1, 2022, to be the interim superintendent for the 2022-23 school year, moved on to the Lower Pioneer Valley Educational Collaborative as its executive director.
Headquartered in West Springfield, the LPVEC provides education programs and services to seven area school districts: Agawam, East Longmeadow, Longmeadow, Easthampton, Hampden-Wilbraham, Ludlow, South Hadley, Southwick-Tolland-Granville and West Springfield.
Uniroyal property progresses
In the spring, in what Chicopee officials and employees referred to as a “milestone,” a request for proposals was released for the fourth and final redevelopment for RiverMills at Chicopee Falls.
The Uniroyal Redevelopment Parcel includes 9.58 acres of property located south of lot No. 4 of the former Facemate property, also known as the “Baskin Redevelopment Parcel.” The property currently has four buildings remaining that have been retained for redevelopment.
The city received two proposals for the property by the Aug. 4 deadline, which are undergoing review at that time.
Work for this project began in 2009 and accelerated as the phases were figured out. While the city planned for redevelopment of the Uniroyal parcel and Facemate, Pouliot said the city could not afford everything at once and prioritized Facemate.
On the Facemate property, a senior center was built and opened in 2014, an assisted living facility opened in 2019, along with the addition of housing and more.
With Facemate underway, Planning and Development Director Lee Pouliot said the focus shifted to Uniroyal as the site required a longer clean up. The assessment and cleanup of the former Uniroyal site has been completed by the city. Since 2012, the city had applied for competitive grants for brownfields cleanup through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and received about $22 million through this funding source.
City pursues new Anna E. Barry Elementary School
The Massachusetts School Board Authority unanimously accepted Anna E. Barry Elementary School as one of the 10 recipients of the organization’s annual efforts to support the design and construction of public school facilities. Chicopee will receive 80% reimbursement toward the construction of a new school building or extensive renovations in place of Anna E. Barry’s aged facilities at 44 Connell St.
The school, which opened in 1963, has remained a problem property for the Chicopee School Department over the years. Vieau previously cited numerous issues with the space, including a sprinkler system that is not up to current code, an excess of asbestos that requires removal, single-pane windows that need replacements and outdated facilities, as well as several inaccessible points within the school, such as the gymnasium located on the third floor. Other facets of the space, like the classroom unit-ventilators, cannot be upgraded in their current condition.
The City Council initially approved Chicopee Public Schools’ application to the MSBA on April 19, 2022. Both the council and School Committee toured the Anna E. Barry Elementary School space on March 14, 2022.
In the spring, the City Council formed the Anna E. Barry Building Commission, made up of 13 members, including those with architecture, engineering or construction experience.
The council followed that up in November with the unanimous approval of $1.2 million for a feasibility study.
Chicopee welcomes several new businesses
It was a good year for businesses looking to call Chicopee home.
Moda Mia, a women’s clothing boutique offering everything from casual wear to business attire, items for date nights or a girl’s night out, opened its storefront at 26 Center St. on Sept. 6. In support of other entrepreneurs, owner Johanna Maldonado, a Springfield resident, hosts a “Small Business Saturday” and invites locals to set up a table inside her boutique.
New restaurants also brought their unique flavors to the city.
Earlier this year, Island Spice Food Truck decided to take advantage of its successes and open its first brick and mortar restaurant in Chicopee and hosted its grand opening on Oct. 28. The food truck was started in August 2022, by Dee and Welisarage Fernando, who have lived in the city for 30 years. The couple, who had restaurant experience having previously owned Six Corners Pizza and Slice City pizza shop in Chicopee, was offered the 32 Center St. space by the Chamber of Commerce, the Valley Opportunity Council and the city of Chicopee.
Also, on Oct. 13, Ninja Sushi officially opened its doors at 108 West St. with a ribbon cutting.
Jones Karate Jujitsu Warriors Inc., owned by Chicopee resident and Massachusetts National Guard veteran Vernon Tahloue Jones Jr., also found a home in the city’s downtown and celebrated its ribbon-cutting on Nov. 17.
Locally-owned Hot Oven Cookies, with current locations in Springfield and Westfield — and a cookie truck — also announced in June a new location for Chicopee Center was in the works. The store opened in late December.
Also, Beauty Batlles Lounge, an advanced beauty spa in Chicopee, recently celebrated an expansion to a larger location, which allowed the business to expand its services. Previously located at 661 Front St., Suite B, Beauty Batlles moved its operations to 46 Cabot St.
In addition to these locally owned businesses, UPF Site Built opened a new 152,000-square-foot manufacturing facility on Griffith Road. The site, previously home to Leoni Wire and vacant since December 2021, has been transformed into a state-of-the-art truss making facility. The strategic expansion by UFP Site Built is expected to create at least 85 new jobs, contributing to the city’s ongoing efforts to attract and retain industrial enterprises.
According to Operations Manager Dave DeForest, as of the end of October, the company had added 21 full-time positions. With current staffing at around 120, plans are to increase it to 140 and 150 employees within a few years.
The Chicopee facility is now among the more than 200 locations operated by UFP Industries. It is the second location in Massachusetts, joining the operation in Belchertown.
Food Bank of Western Mass. opens Chicopee facility
On Dec. 14, over 100 people gathered for the grand opening of the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts’ new state-of-the-art facility, which serves not only as the organization’s headquarters, but also the food distribution center.
In January 2022, the Food Bank launched a capital campaign to raise funds to build and equip a larger and greener distribution center in Chicopee. The Food Bank raised $30 million through the generosity of public, foundation, business and individual donors.
The new home in Chicopee is twice the size of the Food Bank’s former Hatfield facility. The warehouse has larger sections for dry, refrigerated and frozen food, along with nine loading docks — compared to two in Hatfield — to receive and distribute more healthy foods, more efficiently. The additional space allows for more food to be stored, accepted and sourced.
Green technology features include heat pumps, electric battery storage and solar panels on the roof that will generate much, if not all, of the electricity needed. The building is expected to have near to net zero carbon emissions.